So it seems that on May 2, 2006 I hit publish on the first post here on By Singing Light. It was a poem, which I find a tad embarrassing these days (not the sentiments so much as the execution), so I won’t link to it.

It’s hard to believe that I’ve been writing in this space for ten years. I’m not sure I’ve done anything else so consistently for so long. I was eighteen at the time, and moving to Oregon, and I think this was a way of reaching out.

The fact that ten years of my reading life and reactions are documented here is a funny feeling. My opinions and biases about so many things have changed so much over the time I’ve been writing here, to the extent that I sometimes feel like I should go back and put a disclaimer on my old reviews. But there’s also a wry acceptance of who I was.

I’m so grateful for everyone who reads here. (And I’m sorry about how bad I am at responding to comments.) I have a tiny readership, and there have been times when that’s been hard to deal with. I’ve mostly made my peace with it, and that’s largely due to the fact that those of you who do read are so awesome.

Despite all the pressures of everyday life, of internal and external anxieties and woes, of unsureness and insecurities, I keep coming back here. Having a place to write about reading, to write about books, to connect with other readers in whatever large or small way is something that I find hugely valuable. It’s hard at this point to imagine a reading life that’s not informed by other bloggers.

I suspect things will keep shifting, though. I’m planning to try writing short essays about reading, as well as reviews, and link posts, and booklists. I’m going to keep doing Reading Notes series as I can. I’m going to keep putting my voice out there. Every time I’ve thought about quitting–and there have certainly been times when it’s seemed easier to just step away–something stops me. Something about what I find here is different from any other online place I’m part of.

So I suppose this is me saying: I’m here. I hope you’ll stick around too.

Happy, happy blogging anniversary! I relate so much to what you wrote here. I celebrated 9 years of blogging in March, and for the first time in all this time I let the date pass unmarked. I hadn’t blogged in ages at that point, but! Only a week later I felt the urge to go back, and now here I am, enjoying blogging more than I had in a long time. All this to say that I go through phases too, but clearly something stops me from ever truly letting go of it. I’m grateful that we’re both still here. It was only relatively recently that we crossed paths, even though we’ve both been around for so long; at the risk of sounding mushy, this is the sort of thing that gives me hope and keeps me going. I’m very glad I met you, and I like thinking that if I keep pouring words out into the world in my own quiet little corner, and reading the words others put out there, not only will I keep on growing and learning but there will be more lovely people who will come into my life.

Dear Ana, you basically said more succinctly & eloquently what I said at much more length in my post for Monday. At any rate, I am so very glad that we crossed paths as well, and this resonated so much with me: “I keep pouring words out into the world in my own quiet little corner, and reading the words others put out there, not only will I keep on growing and learning but there will be more lovely people who will come into my life.”

“Despite all the pressures of everyday life, of internal and external anxieties and woes, of unsureness and insecurities, I keep coming back here. Having a place to write about reading, to write about books, to connect with other readers in whatever large or small way is something that I find hugely valuable. It’s hard at this point to imagine a reading life that’s not informed by other bloggers.”

This so perfectly describes how I feel too. I’m so glad you started this and we connected and you are still here. I can’t imagine doing this without you to bounce things off of and discuss things with.

Happy blog birthday! So glad you plan on staying. There have been many blogging buddies who have gone on hiatus and it’s always sad when that happens. Like you, I also have a small readership, but I’m fine with that because what matters to me is that I’ve been able to build on the online friendships that I’ve made because of the blog.

Yeah–obviously people should do what they need to, but it is always sad! And I feel pretty much the same way–it’s fun to find new people, and also keep up old friendships. I’m glad you’re still around too. 🙂